… Calls for new security laws

At Army Day ceremonies, the President made an urgent call for Congress to approve a new National Security Law that will give the Army greater legal protections in the fight against drug traffickers: “We must act with respect for the law and human rights. … But we can hardly expect to ask the Army to defend society from perverse criminals without giving its soldiers the powers they need and legal certainty regarding the actions they take,” he said. Defense Secretary Gen.Guillermo Galván said the reforms could not be postponed.

The Government also sent a new anti-kidnapping law to Congress that provides for life imprisonment, restricts prisoner communications with outsiders, and requires that kidnappers be imprisoned outside of their area of operation, among others provisions. (Reforma 2/18, Universal 2/20)